Monday, April 11: Robert Plant and the Band of Joy at The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m. ($45-55)
In the 1970s, Robert Plant was an iconic member of Led Zeppelin whose unmatched musicianship served the influence an innumerable number of people before his untimely death in 1980. Oh wait, that was John Bonham. Zeppelin’s singer, Plant, is still alive, kicking and continuing the benefit off things he did 40 years ago. He and his Band of Joy drop by The Riverside, where they will not be Led Zeppelin. North Mississippi Allstars open. (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., pabsttheater.org)
Tuesday, April 12: Lee Ritenour at Shank Hall, 8 p.m. ($30)
Truth be told, I don’t know much about Lee Ritenour. But anyone who has managed to wow audiences for a half century must be doing something right. Expect a good outing by the seasoned Gramy-winning songsmith. $30 good? You be the judge. (1434 N. Farwell Ave., shankhall.com)
MUSIC NOTES SHOW OF THE WEEK
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| Photo courtesy rarariot.com. |
Wednesday, April 13: Ra Ra Riot at Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($14)
Ra Ra Riot offers a sincere-yet-driving brand of truly unique indie rock that includes a hot chick straddling a cello. There are worse things. The building appeal of these upstate New York chamber poppers all but indicate that if it isn’t baroque, fix it. Generationals and Scars on 45 open. (1032 N. Fourth St., pabsttheater.org)
Also: My Chemical Romance at The Rave, 7:30 p.m. ($27) – (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., therave.com)
And: Common Loon and Take Care at The Cactus Club, 9 p.m. – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., cactusclubmilwaukee.com)
Thursday, April 14: The Civil Wars at Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($10)
Consider me among the last people to be on the scent of this intergendered indie folk duo. At this point, the band’s biggest claims to fame are being used as the musical backdrop for one of those stupid end-of-show montages on “Grey’s Anatomy” and being subject of a Taylor Swift tweet in which she mentions she was listening to The Civil Wars’ album Poison & Wine. This may be your last chance to see this skilled pair at a venue as small as Turner Hall and for a price this low – though fees actually make admission, like, $12.15 or something. White Dress starts things off. (1032 N. Fourth St., pabsttheater.org)
Friday, April 15: Crappy Dracula at The Cactus Club, 10 p.m.
Our own Kevin Kosterman has covered Crappy Dracula before, so I’ll let him do the legwork on this one.
“With a collection of songs that range in lyrical content from anti-architecture (“Song Against Architects”) to the plight of disgruntled textbook factory workers (“Secrets of the Powerful Textbook Lobby”), Crappy Dracula brings its maniacally quirky brand of garage punk to [The Cactus Club].” (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., cactusclubmilwaukee.com)
Saturday, April 16: Peter Yarrow at Pabst Theater, 8 p.m. ($35)
Continuing with the Robert Plant-like theme of pricey performances by a person whose best days are long behind them, Peter Yarrow — one third of Peter Paul & Mary — will be in town to, you guessed it, play his old songs. Fortunately for the folk legend, those songs include the likes of “Puff The Magic Dragon” and “Leaving On A Jet Plane.” (144 E. Wells St., pabsttheater.org)
Also: Roadside Graves, Conrad Plymouth, Jeremy Benson at The Cactus Club, 8 p.m. – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., cactusclubmilwaukee.com)
And: The Pink Spiders at Mad Planet, 8 p.m. ($10) – (533 E. Center St., mad-planet.net)
Sunday, April 17: WAMI Awards at Turner Hall, 7 p.m. ($25)
During this awards ceremony honoring Wisconsin’s best musicians, 10 of the state’s biggest bands (as selected by the WAMI committee) are slated to perform. This couldn’t possibly mean The Bodeans will play 10 songs, could it? (1032 N. Fourth St., pabsttheater.org)
And: Fambly Fun at Mad Planet, 8 p.m. ($7) – (533 E. Center St., mad-planet.net)
